January 23, 2020
Pregnancy, wow. What a crazy time. I recently found out that I was pregnant and for the 3 short months I’ve been carrying my baby, I have had to learn a lot. This has been a time of doctors, family, friends and random strangers telling me what to be buying, eating and doing every day. To say the least, it has been exhausting. Not to mention the battle that is the first trimester, dealing with debilitating nausea and changes to your body and emotions.
Some women may feel a lot like I did, overwhelmed and stressed about my baby, and worrying if I was doing all I needed to. Here is where I would like to help, instead of letting all of these things bombard you, here are 5 easy things YOU can do to help you, and your baby.
5 Ways to Have a Healthier Pregnancy
Find a doctor that you trust
Now that you’re pregnant it’s time for you to see a doctor, if you have a family doctor you like, make an appointment so you can get started on preparing for the baby. They will talk you through prenatal vitamins – which are important for your baby to grow big and strong, make sure you get blood and urine tests set up as well as ultrasound. It is important to have a professional you can ask about what you and your baby need as well as concerns you have during the pregnancy.
Tell loved ones your exciting news, and use them for support
As important as you and your baby’s physical health is, you need to take care of your mental and emotional health as well. Like I mentioned earlier, pregnancy is a hard time and can take a toll on your mental health. Make sure you have people you can go to for help and support throughout this journey. This can be a spouse, family, friends or anyone that loves you and that you trust.
Eat a nutrient-dense diet
Nutrition is important in all phases of our lives but pregnancy is especially important. Your baby is only getting nutrients from your prenatal vitamin and the food you put into your body. The first trimester is often a time where you can’t stomach anything, for me, I could only keep down popsicles for 2 weeks straight! So for the first twelve weeks don’t worry If you can’t stay on track nutritionally, the first trimester is pure survival. Once you are feeling better, however, try to get in as many vital nutrients as you can. Some nutrient-dense foods that will help you prevent deficiencies during your pregnancy are eggs, whole grains, leafy greens, fish, nuts and seeds, poultry and red meats. Eating well-balanced meals is important and often times keeping food in your stomach will help keep nausea at bay. Smoothies will full-fat yogurt, fruits and hemp or chia seeds are also great for packing in the nutrition.
Guzzle all the H2O
Drink, drink and drink some more! Water is another thing we need all the time but it has so many benefits and purposes during pregnancy that its more vital than ever. Nutrients travel easier to the fetus when you are well hydrated. Water also helps with pregnancy symptoms like constipation and migraines. Growing a baby is no walk in the park, but staying hydrated is one thing you can do to lessen the load on your body. Whenever I want to drink more water I go out and buy a cute new water bottle or tumbler cup and it motivates me to use it all the time and take it everywhere I go.
Get your body moving girl!
At some points in this 9-month adventure all you want to do is lay on the couch and watch Netflix all day long, I’ve been there trust me. But even something as simple as going for a walk or turning on some soft music and stretching will do wonders for your body. I am not recommending hardcore cross-fit or marathons, but hey you do you. What I am recommending is doing things each day to move your body in whatever way suits you and your lifestyle. My exercise was very small and simple in the first 12 weeks but I did find going out and walking helped with nausea and allowed me to clear my head each day. We all know exercise is a miracle worker for your mental health, it has done wonders for my stress management and I know it will help me with the healthy weight gain that comes with pregnancy.
As you can see doing things to benefit you and your pregnancy doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Each pregnancy is different and all we can do as moms is try our best. You are doing amazing, don’t be hard on yourself and try each day to make simple healthy choices and it will go a long way.
